Marketing’s Missing Ingredient
Measure your marketing and react – two simple steps that can put you and your business miles ahead of your competition.
Yet in over 85% of the encounters I’ve had with business owners, the one thing that seems to mystify them most is figuring out what is and what isn’t working in their marketing and then doing something about it.
No More Excuses
These days there are more low cost and free tools than ever before, like Google Analytics and Website Optimizer, that will help you measure and track your marketing to ensure you’re getting the best ROI and bang for your buck.
While looking at website statistics has become commonplace, too few business owners take the time to connect their marketing activities and dollars spent with the results they generate or fall short of doing.
Forget Lady Luck
Spending money on marketing without having a measurement plan in place is like giving up your business to play the lottery full time – your chances of seeing positive results and picking all six winning numbers are about the same.
It’s understandable that many businesses fail to measure their marketing … they’ve been told over and over again by inexperienced media folk that brand awareness is key and that advertising can’t be measured. There’s about as much truth to that as there is to BP’s innocence in the Gulf spill.
All marketing and advertising can be tracked and measured. Radio, print, online, outdoor, direct mail … yes, all of it.
Here are a couple of examples:
- A local bar distributes a “free yam fries when you spend at least $10 in drinks” coupon in a city paper. Every time someone brings in the coupon, the bar marks it down and keeps a record. Over the next couple of months it becomes clear whether the revenue generated from those coupons exceeds the cost of the advertising. If it does, they continue and rollout more coupons with different kinds of offers. If it doesn’t, they may try inserting those coupons in a different publication or try a different type of offer or promotion all together.
- A conference promoter is preparing for a new event that will feature careers in the media and marketing jobs. To attract as many attendees as possible the promoter runs TV ads that ask people to visit the organization’s website to sign up. Each ad displays an ‘offer’ code that the attendee enters on the registration page when they sign up. The promoter can now tell which TV ad is creating more attendee signups and can focus additional marketing dollars there.
-A pizza restaurant does radio and print advertising. To measure which one is more effective they include different phone numbers into each medium. The radio listeners call one number and the magazine readers see another number. The pizza joint can tell which number the call originates from. At the end of the month the restaurant tallies up the number of inquiries and customers they’ve generated from each source and decides where their best ROI comes from and then proceeds accordingly.
The Bottom Line
There are hundreds of case studies like these. What’s critical to remember is that regardless of what kind of marketing you’re doing and what industry you are in, you should ensure you are measuring the impact that your marketing activities are having on your business.
Good marketing can become great marketing when you are properly measuring it.
Michael Zipursky is a marketing consultant and co-founder of FreshGigs.ca, a leading Canadian jobsite specializing in marketing, communications and graphic designer jobs. His work has been featured in FOX Business, Financial Times, HR Executive, Institute of Management Consultants and other media.
Monday Mashups: Online Traditions, Social Media Cheat Sheet for Small Businesses, and Pinterest FRENZY!
Using Foursquare for Your Local Business
There’s more to Foursquare than just checking in and letting friends know where you dine, play and work. This social media platform is also a great way for you to market your small business. It can be as easy as rewarding your clientele with small tokens of appreciation such as discounts on meals or gift cards for future visits for just ‘checking in.’
After the first crucial step of claiming your venue on Foursquare, check out this post for a few ideas on how to increase your customer base and retain your existing clients.
How to create Traditions for your Social Peeps
While tangible traditions such as ugly sweater Christmas parties or Spring break family vacations still exist in our lives, there is a host of new traditions being conceived, and unsurprisingly, are online. As traditions create meaning for society, this post stresses the importance of that factor when creating social media strategies for your business.
Online traditions such as creating photo albums with business related pictures (i.e. popular restaurant dishes) for your customers to see will help solidify connections between them and your business. Traditions bring s sense of nostalgia and a yearning to return to places and things that solicit happiness.
4 Branding Tips For When the Bloom Is Off the Rose
This past Valentine’s Day, Americans spent an average of $17.6 billion dollars on flowers, gifts, and dinners on their significant others. That’s a lot of love. While giving attention and love to consumers is important to the success of small businesses, it’s good to remember that too much love can be suffocating.
Here are four handy tips on how to keep your customers close without you screaming “I LOVE YOU!” in their faces repeatedly.
Social Media Cheat Sheet for Small Businesses
So you’ve just opened a small business, such as a restaurant, and you want to create a marketing plan that will yield quick results. You’ve heard that social media marketing is the a relatively low cost way to bring in business so you want to implement this plan. Where do you start? Which applications are the most effective in marketing your business?
Look no further than this cheat sheet to help you decipher differences between social media platforms and help you create an organized and effective social media marketing plan to bring in the masses.
What’s With All the Interest in Pinterest?
Pinterest is creating quite the buzz right now with numerous articles being posted on how to market with the image driven social media platform to conversations among the general public about pins or repins they’ve posted of their favourite things, many of which include food.
Since eating is such a image driven activity, Pinterest has become a hot marketing tool for restaurants. While accounts are currently still given on an invitation basis, consider using this tool when it becomes publicly available to create a unique image for your business. As the saying goes, “A picture creates a thousand words.”
In the meantime, read more about the Pinterest buzz in this article and then check out Pinterest’s website for some great ‘pins.’
MPI Forum at BCIT
(Image from MPI Facebook Page)
On Thursday, February 16 some of Vancouver’s twitter heavyweights will be speaking at BCIT’s Burnaby campus.
MPI BCIT has invited Karm (VancityBuzz), Rick (Vancouver is Awesome), Nicole Van Zanten (Vancouver Canucks), Phil Moad (Think! Social Media) and Dennis Pang (Popcorn) to participate in discussions about social media.
There are only 75 tickets available $5 for MPI members and $10 for non-MPI members- check out the Facebook page for the latest details. Whether you’re able to make it or not, watch the hashtag #mpiforum2012 for insights from some fantastic people!
Monday Mashups: Love Thy Customers, Motivation the Wikipedia way, and “can you smelllll…what The Rock is cooking?!?”
The Wikipedia Way of Motivating your Employees
One of the most important factors in operating a successful business is the employees. Whether working for large corporations or small businesses, employees are your living and breathing brand ambassadors and not soulless cogs in the industrial wheels.
Wikipedia is the world’s largest volunteer based online encyclopedia and arguably the best curation of knowledge and information ever. To Wikipedia contributors, making a dime doesn’t mean a thing to them. It’s the sense of purpose they fulfill when sharing such information with people around the world.
Give your employees a sense of purpose while working for you by checking out the Wikipedia Way on workplace motivation.
Love is the Answer to Keeping Your Customers Coming Back
We all know that offering delectable and innovative well priced food is a restaurant’s number one reason to attract customers, but how much time do restaurateurs devote to customer retention? This guest blog post highlights the importance of giving the time of day to your customers. They are, after all, the sole reason why your business is running successfully.
Give a little (or a lot of) love and in return, you’ll receive more love from your current, and potentially new, customers.
Glam Media Launches social network for food lovers
For the love of food! foodie.com is Glam Media’s newest social networking website where foodies, food critics, restaurant owners, executives chefs, and others in the gastronomic crowd can come together and discuss all things food.
New users to the network can create profiles with their existing Facebook or Twitter credentials. Once signed-up, they can follow chefs and food writers, participate in discussions and browse through collections of recipes for meal inspirations, among other things.
Interested in being a part of this network? Read more about it here and then sign up at foodie.com.
How Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Lays the Smackdown on Social Media
You may think this WWF star would be one of the last people on earth who would turn out to be one of social media’s biggest advocate, but he is, and aspiring social media fans can learn a thing or two from him. Since launching his Twitter and Facebook accounts about one year ago, Johnson has culminated over 5 million likes on his FB page and has almost 2 million Twitter followers.
He is very active on Twitter and says he created the account to help impart inspiration for fans who look up to him. Read more about his social media enthusiasm in this Q & A session.
Monday Mashup: Foursquare, Social Media Sins and Tweeting Visual Brands
Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch
Ask yourself this one question: What is the culture of your small business? Do you have one or is your business similar to the one next door?
‘Culture’ is often misunderstood for ‘Brand’ and often known as the “touchy feely component of business that belongs to HR.” According to this post, culture is a component that involves the human aspect of a business where “Employees are actively and passionately engaged in the business, operating from a sense of confidence and empowerment…[and]…long term success is dependent on a culture that is nurtured and alive.”
Read this article to find out the benefits of having a unique business culture that will make you stand out.
Foursquare in Context
There’s much more to this mobile application than just ‘checking in’ and letting others know where you’re eating, shopping, exercising etc. Foursquare puts things in context for people because it allows for the sharing of information about restaurants and other venues where people have previously been.
Context is “what allows us to make sense of much of the world around us” and the abundance of ‘check ins’, comments, and recommendations have brought people to the city’s best bowl of chilli or freshest sashimi. If you’re not on Foursquare, have a look at this post and video to see the value of “Checking In.”
11 Deadly Social Media Sins for Brands
Social Media is very fast paced and always evolving. While most brands in the world use it to connect to and retain their customers, it is extremely important for these businesses to understand and be willing adapt to the flux of social media.
Top brands have made mistakes on social media by being caught up in things such as metrics (number of Twitter followers or ‘likes’ on Facebook) or worrying they aren’t tweeting or posting enough content on social media platforms.
Don’t get caught executing these wrongdoings and your business’ social media will have a more positive impact on yourself and your customers.
How to Make Your Company More Social
A business isn’t a business without its employees. Using social media to heighten your business’ presence shouldn’t be a one man show; it should involve a collective effort by all employees. In the restaurant business for example, the executive chef can tweet or post photos of new and delectable dishes on Facebook, social media savvy employees can keep Twitter feeds up to date with current events, and general managers can oversee daily posts.
Take a look at this article to see how you can round up your employees, co-workers, and managers to make social media a fun way to market your business.
4 Ways to Tweet a Visual Brand
Restaurants are among several types of companies that utilize the visual aspect of food to entice customers. Twitter moves at such a fast pace that a post is old in a blink of an eye. If you want to use Twitter to convey your visual messages to the masses, how you convey them is important.
These four handy tips will help you maximize your reach on Twitter and attract clientele to your business.
Monday Mashups: The Glee Guide, Getting Personal with your Customers, and Business Sustainability
Restaurants and Contests: Four Unique and Strategic Approaches to Drive Business
Last week, @gopopcorn tweeted a useful article on Twitter on how to drive customers to your business through contests using social media techniques.
In a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 51% of adults use the internet to search for restaurant information on search engines, specialty websites and social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
Check out this article to see how Ling and Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, The Bistro Group, and Mia’s Pizza and Eats created successful, clever, and one-of-a-kind contests that kept on bringing in more customers.
Why Social Media Needs to Get more Personal
A one way communication channel never gets anyone far, so businesses, especially restaurants, need to STOP utilizing social media channels as sandwich boards! While it’s useful to post menus and daily specials online, it is not enough to engage and entice potential customers to visit your business specifically.
This post explains what it means to be personal in this day in age and suggests digital communications tools you can easily personalize to make your brand stand out.
The Glee Guide to Attracting Hordes of Social Media Fans
While not everyone is partial to this outrageous singing and dancing melee on prime time television, business owners can take away a thing or two from this show on how to attract customers and build a ‘fan base.’ After all, Glee attracted “millions of obsessive fans” over its first two seasons.
Taking risks, cheering on the underdog, and showing people the surprising side of you are three things Glee producers have done to make the show extremely successful.
Take a look at the Glee Guide for easy tips on how you can shine in the spotlight.
How Your Business Can Last Longer than a Twinkie
Hostess and Kodak became household names in American culture, yet these two very successful companies filed for bankruptcy recently. A lesson learned from this is that in order to charge through competition and to stay afloat in our fluctuating economy, small businesses must adapt and change with the times.
Here are four ways to help your business avoid the same fate that Hostess and Kodak faced.
Forget Networking. How to be a connector
Networking with like-minded businesses owners is great for expanding your business relations, but it’s not a good way to attract clientele. Most people can probably only recall a few times where either Executive Chefs or owners of restaurants approached and asked them if they’ve enjoyed their meals.
Connectors are people who have a vested interest in what they do and who they do it for. Restaurant owners must be connectors in order to build and retain a steady clientele. Read this article to learn how you can connect with your customers and give them reasons to return to your restaurant.
Monday Mashups: Millionaires and social media, why stories sell, and trends for small businesses
BOSS Training: Advanced Social Media Presentation
On January 18, 2012, Dennis presented an advanced social media presentation to students of the BOSS Program at Capilano University. This presentation included information on the new SEO, social media tactics, social media analytics, Google +, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
Click here to check out his information rich presentation!
How Millionaires Approach Social Media
True entrepreneurs succeed when they know what they want out of using social media, when they engage with their clients and customers, and when they know how to use this tool properly.
This post explains why it is essential for all business owners and corporation heads to be involved in social media in order to run a successful social media campaign. The author also asks Amy Applebaum, Ken Wisnefski (CEO of Webimax), and Guy Kawasaki (Social Media guru and co-founder of alltop.com) how they utilize social media.
Infographic: The Social Media Lifecycle
From years of analyzing social media statistics for a variety of companies, uberVu believes that the four pillars of success for businesses utilizing social media are monitoring, analytics, engagement and reporting.
Taking these four pillars into consideration, here is an infographic by uberVu showing which social media platforms consumers are being drawn to and their response rates.
Why Stories Sell: Transportation Leads to Persuasion
Do you ever wonder why restaurant patrons are loyal to their favourite hangouts and return over and over again? Because somewhere along the way, those restaurants managed to persuade patrons to return.
This article explains that psychological studies found that storytelling which transports people are more likely to be persuasive. Why not make some great memories for your customers today?
Social Media Trends for Small Businesses
Social Media Examiner asked Anita Campbell, founder of Small Business Trends, what social media trends small businesses can expect to see this year.
In this video, she explains how social media impacts small businesses. You’ll also discover tips on how to use social media successfully, why you need to continue to use social media to see returns and where social media brings the best results.
Monday Mashups: CPRS Student Seminar, Feelings and Social Media, and Stop Talking About Yourself!
Canadian Public Relations Society Student Seminar: Know your Public Relations Professional
Join Dennis from Popcorn and a number of other public relations professionals this Thursday, January 19th, 2012 between 5:30 to 8pm for the Canadian Public Relations Society’s upcoming student seminar: Know Your Public Relations Professional.
Are you a current student or a new graduate with questions about what it’s like to be a PR professional and what is expected from you working as one? Then stop by this session to meet and speak to five top Public Relations specialists who can give you insider tips on achieving your PR career goals!
Click here for more information on the event and to register for it.
A Tested Social Media Success Formula: Talk as Yourself, Not about Yourself
When it comes to selling and attracting clients for your business, it’s a no brainer that you talk about your brand or product. Oftentimes though, it’s overdone and you wonder why no one is paying attention.
This post articulates that people want to hear you tweet or talk as yourself and not about yourself. Why should customers want to try your new unique dish? Don’t talk about how delicious it is as that’s for the patron to decide. How about tell people about the idea that resulted in this dish or where the ingredients came from?
Brand Communication: How feelings affect the equation
A brand is not just a visual logo for your business. It is the very entity that represents what your business is trying to achieve. According to this article, human beings tend to link feelings and emotions to brands, hence why they return to or avoid certain businesses such as restaurants.
When creating a brand for your restaurant, coffee shop or bakery, think of the emotions and feelings you want to ‘sell’ – in addition to your products – to potential clients.
Under-promise. Over-Deliver. And Your Brand’s Fans Will Talk
“Do you remember the last time you got more than you expected?” Maybe it was at a restaurant where you received a free sample of a menu item or perhaps it was at a coffee shop where you got extra caramel drizzle on your latte?
The point of this piece is that if you go that extra step in making your customers’ experience unique, they will come back to you…and with friends.
Ask Dennis at “Know Your Public Relations Professional” Student Seminar!
On Thursday, January 19 the YWCA Hotel on Beatty street will host the latest CPRS student seminar: Know Your Public Relations Professional.
Dennis Pang, CEO of Popcorn will be there answering any questions you may have alongside a great panel of other PR professionals.
The five speakers will rotate between tables so you’re able to converse with them! A great way to network with great names from Vancouver Coastal Health, National PR, CBC, TeeKay Shipping and of course, Popcorn!
If you’re a a student member of the CPRS, the event is $10 including food and refreshments. If you’re not a member yet, the event is $15.
We hope to see you there!
Event Details:
Thursday, January 19, 2012, 5:30-8pm.
YWCA Hotel, Royal Bank and Canfor Room, 733 Beatty St. Vancouver
$10 for CPRS Vancouver Student Members, $15 for Non-CPRS Vancouver Students.
Pre-Registration is required, the deadline is January 16.
Check out more information about the event and also to register right here.